A show of vaccination sanity

As a medical person, I was delighted to have the cockles of my heart supremely warmed, to read the letter by the 101-year-old centenarian, Mr D. L. Sirimanne of Kohuwala, on ‘Elders receiving COVID-19 vaccine at Kalubowila’ in The Island of 23rd March 2021. He had, indeed been treated so very well, just like royalty, as every citizen of this country, especially the elderly, should be treated. My compliments to the powers-that-be in the Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vaccination initiative for doing such a splendid job.

The readers may remember some of my articles to The Island newspaper very strongly castigating the authorities for their lack of empathy for the elders at these vaccination centres. In my article on 08th March 2021 on “COVID vaccine: Mayhem could have been prevented”, I did not mince my words. I took the authorities apart. As I am bound to do, I would not hesitate to call a spade, just that… a spade. In the same way, I would also not vacillate to salute someone who has gone that extra mile to do something really well. In such a context, the Dehiwala – Mount Lavinia authorities, who organised the COVID Vaccination Centre, should be applauded without any reservations, whatsoever.

I have a further suggestion. Mr Sirimanne had observed that many of the people, who manned the centre, were young volunteers. The government should harness the services of the youth for volunteering to work at these vaccination centres. All young people, preferably those who have just completed their GCE ‘A’ Level Examination, would be the ideal lot. Believe me, the youth would absolutely love it. Just to help at these centres with a little badge or an arm band to indicate that they are volunteer helpers would be that much attractive to them. That is the mindset of the youth of today. Believe me, I have been working with children for the last 50 years, and I know how they would behave. Talk to them nicely and give them the responsibility of doing something for the nation, you will be pleasantly surprised at the response. Then the doctors, nurses and Public Health Inspectors would not have to attend to these matters, and can concentrate on the real vaccination process.

Let us hope that the powers-that-be would take this suggestion to heart.

Dr B. J. C. PERERA

Specialist Consultant Paediatrician